News brief: Big stories of the day

US State Department approves possible $314 million sale of missiles to South Korea

The US State Department has cleared $314 million in possible sales of air defence missiles to South Korea, the Pentagon said on Friday, as tensions re-emerge on the Korean peninsula.

There will be no war, we don't want it and no one can confront Iran: Foreign Minister Javad Zarif

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday he did not believe war would break out in the region as Tehran did not want a conflict and no country had the "illusion it could confront Iran", the state news agency IRNA reported.

Ill-timed controversies must be avoided: Chief Election Commissioner hits back at Ashok Lavasa, denies reports of rift in EC

Differences in the Election Commission have burst out in the open with Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa boycotting the meetings of the full Commission over his dissent on crucial decisions not being recorded.

Naidu suggests Election Commission to count votes through VVPATs

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu urged the Election Commission to count votes through Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) instead of EVMs during counting for the Lok Sabha polls.

Austrian far-right leader resigns over 'Ibiza affair'

Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, a key figure of the European far-right, resigned Saturday after explosive revelations from a hidden camera sting, just days before key EU elections.